Monday, 6th February
A big weekend in Hoogerheide
Located in the Dutch province of North Brabant, the world's biggest names of cyclo-cross headed to the village of Hoogerheide, normally known for the Grand Prix Adri van der Poel cyclo-cross race, a very popular annual event. This year it was the turn of the 2023 UCI Cyclo-Cross World Championships to be showcased there. The Dutch reigned on home soil as Fem van Empel and Matthieu van der Poel were crowned Elite Champions. The Mixed Elite title also went to the Netherlands. Isabella Holmgren (CAN) and Léo Bisiaux (FRA) won Junior gold, while the U23 titles were claimed by Shirin van Anrooij (NED) and Thibau Nys (BEL).
Earlier in the week we had two IIHF Ice Hockey World Championships. Kazakhstan won their first tournament 7-0 against Iceland in the U18 Women's Division II, Group B. In the U20 Men's Division III, it was Australia's day overcoming Israel 4-1 in the final. The Mounties Club in Sydney, Australia, hosted the Asia-Pacific Women's Snooker Championship with Thailand's Ploychompoo Laokiatphong winning her first ranking event title.
St. Moritz in Switzerland continued last week with the completion of the IBSF World Championships in 2-woman and 4-man Bobsleigh. The German dominance in the 2-woman Bobsleigh was evident as both gold and silver were claimed. The top prize went to Kim Kalicki and Leonie Fiebig. In the 4-man Bobsleigh it was Germany again as one of the biggest names currently in the sport, Francesco Friedrich, lead Thorsten Margis, Candy Bauer, and Alexander Schueller to victory. It was also the fifth World Title for Friedrich. Great Britain won their first medal in 84 years as they claimed silver.
Last week snowboarders were in Italy and USA for two FIS Snowboard World Cup events. Cortina d'Ampezzo hosted Snowboard Cross with titles going to Charlotte Bankes (GBR) and Merlin Surget (FRA). Mammoth Mountain in California featured Halfpipe. Japan dominated as Mitsuki Ono and Ruka Hirano claimed gold. The Slopestyle event was cancelled.
Mammoth Mountain also hosted FIS Freeski Slopestyle and Halfpipe. Kexin Zhang (CHN) and Birk Irving (USA) won the Halfpipe, while Slopestyle titles were claimed by Norway's Johanne Killi and Birk Ruud. Experts in Moguls headed to the popular Deer Valley Resort in Utah. Gold titles went to Australia's Jakara Anthony and Matt Graham, while Danielle Scott (AUS) and Dmytro Kotovskyi (UKR) are the Aerials champions. Perrine Laffont (FRA) and Mikael Kingsbury (CAN) claimed Dual Moguls.
Cross-Country featured in Toblach, Italy. Jonna Sundling (SWE) and Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo (NOR) won the Sprint Final Free. Victory in the 10 km Individual Start Free titles went to Ebba Andersson (SWE) and Paal Golberg (NOR), while Norway and Italy 1 claimed the women's and men's Relay titles. It was Italy's first victory in 17 years. The Classic event was cancelled at the FIS Telemark World Cup held in Les Contamines, France. Switzerland reigned in the Women's Sprint with titles going to Amelie Wenger-Reymond and Martina Wyss. Elie Nabot (FRA) and Bastien Dayer (SUI) won the Men's Sprint.
Switzerland's Ramon Zenhaeusern won the Men's Slalom at the popular Chamonix in France. The only FIS Nordic Combined World Cup was hosted at Oberstdorf, Germany. The Gundersen Large Hill HS137/10.0 km titles belong to Johannes Lamparter (AUT) and Julian Schmid (GER). The world's best junior and U23 skiers were in Whistler, Canada, for most of last week for their World Championships in Cross-Country, Nordic Combined, and Ski Jumping. Full results can be found here: https://www.fis-ski.com/
Spain's Toni Bou continued where he left off last season by winning the first round of the FIM X-Trial World Championship 2023 in Barcelona. USA's Eli Tomac continued his winning run in the 450SX class, with victory in the 250SX going to Australia's Hunter Lawrence in round 5 of the AMA Supercross Championship hosted by Houston. Bruna Kajiya (BRA) and Gianmaria Coccoluto (ITA) won the Global Kitesports Association Freestyle World Cup at Fuwairit Kite Beach in Qatar. In football Senegal beat Algeria by 5-4 on penalties in the final of the African Nations Championship Algeria 2022.
Kenya's Faith Kipyegon and Charles Lokir secured the Sirikwa Cross Country Classic in Eldoret, Kenya. Dutch star Femke Bol made a statement at the Boston Indoor Athletics Grand Prix by setting a world's best in the 500m. In chess news Poland made history as the winner of the first Chess Olympiad for People with Disabilities. Over to tennis where the Davis Cup Qualifiers featured over the weekend. Croatia, France, USA, Switzerland, Great Britain, Serbia, Chile, Korea Republic, Sweden, Netherlands, Finland, and Czech Republic all proceed to the next round.
Altenberg in Germany hosted the latest FIL Luge World Cup. Germany's Julia Taubitz and Max Langenhan won the singles titles. Andrea Voetter and Marion Oberhofer (ITA) won the ladies' doubles title, with the men's title going to Toni Eggert and Sascha Benecken (GER). Austria claimed victory in the Team Relay. Modona in Latvia hosted the European Ski Orienteering Championships for Senior, Juniors, and Youth. See results here: https://esoc2023.lv/ Dresden was the location for the ISU Short Track Speed Skating World Cup. See full results here: https://bit.ly/3K0a2z1
At the World Pool Championships 2023, Francisco Sanchez Ruiz (ESP) is the new champion of the world defeating Mohammad Soufi (GER) 13-10. In snooker news, Ali Carter (ENG) has ended a seven-year wait for silverware after defeating fellow countryman Tom Ford 10-3 in the in final of the German Masters. Peru's Diego Elias has won his third Professional Squash Association world tournament in a row after victory in Detroit. In the Cleveland Classic, it was Gina Kennedy (ENG) who defeated Olivia Clyne (USA) to claim the title. After being winless in 2022, Martin Truex Jr. started the new season of the NASCAR Cup Series in style with a victory in Los Angeles.
Jamie Austin, born in Nottingham in England, completed a run for charity along the entire M1 from Leeds to London. The 354 km route was completed on roads and footpaths parallel to the highway. Austin completed the journey in 10 days and raised more than £11,000 for the charity JDRF, which researches type 1 diabetes (T1D).
Until next time, have a great week in sport.